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Blackmoor
This page may be a Stub or not include some information. For a full article on the topic with citations, please see ' ' at Greyhawkonline.com. Blackmoor is located in the northwestern portion of the Flanaess. It is a small and inhospitable realm lying almost completely within the boundaries of the northern reaches of the Cold Marshes. The Burneal Forest forms a western boundary of sorts, while the Land of Black Ice does the same to the north. The population of Blackmoor totaled 110,000 persons. Almost 40% of these inhabitants are humans of predominantly Flan and Oeridian stock, although some Suel and Baklunish can be found as well. Another 20% comprise orcish tribes that roam the region (some under the control of the Egg of Coot, some not). A slightly smaller percentage of halflings is also present, while elves, gnomes, half-orcs, half-elves, and other races make up the remainder of the population in increasingly smaller percentages. The most populous town is Dantredun (pop. 700) on the edge of the Burneal. Blackmoor Town, the original capital of the archbarony, was conquered and destroyed in 541 CY by the "Egg of Coot", a mysterious being with a significant amount of magical power at his disposal. The "town" that serves as the Egg's home contains a number of automata (some reports place the number as high as 200), though very few living beings (if any) reside there The actual structure of Blackmoor's government is unknown. His Luminous Preponderancy, Archbaron Bestmo of Blackmoor claims the title of "Archbaron", and with it, rule over the ten underbaronies of the region. However, Teuod Fent, formerly of the Bandit Kingdoms, has claimed Ramshorn Castle as his own, and with it the title of "baron". Nonhuman tribes also roam the area, though their allegiances are usually only to themselves. The national capital is Dantredun (the seat of Bestmo's power). Geography Forests * Burneal Forest Hills Plains * Tusking Strand Rivers Marsh * Cold Marshes * Gloom Fens History At the time of the great Migrations the moors north of the Cold Marshes were inhabited by the Tuocts, a Flannish people who dwelt in stockaded villages and built hill-forts on the rocky outcroppings protruding from the marshland. Here they led a simple existence: raiding, trading, feasting and feuding amongst themselves under the watchful eye of their druids and bards. At established intervals they would band together to make war with their primeval enemy, the Egg of Coot, or to campaign for a season against their distant kin from the Quagheath. The steady cycle of their lives was first disturbed when Suel raiders swept across the Icy Sea to pillage along the coasts before returning home to Rhizia in late summer. Within a few years these Sea Barbarians, calling themselves Zeai, had made permanent settlements north of Blackmoor on the Brink Islands and along the Tusking Strand. Even with the addition of these immigrants, little changed in the north until the first Oeridian explorers and adventurers arrived in the Northlands a generation later. For the most part these newcomers were ethnic Aerdi — individualists, rebels, or outcasts, who sought to escape the increasingly rigid society that would emerge in only a few years as the Kingdom of Aerdy. These Aerdi pioneers began the tradition of castle building in the lands of Blackmoor. The first, called Castle Blackmoor, was built on a low hill overlooking Blackmoor Bay. The location had been used since time immemorial by the northern clans as their hill of testing, the site of their High-seat of Judgement. Duels, whether musical, magical or martial, were conducted here under the authority of the Shalmist druids and bards. Contests were most often held within the ancient ring of standing-stones, but at times they might extend to the caverns beneath the hill where legend said the Ur-Flan sorcerers had enslaved fiends and powerful elementals. The first Castle Blackmoor was built over these ruins, and Oeridian lords ruled here even as the Kingdom of Aerdy saw foundation in the south. A village quickly grew up around this first castle, and soon other fortifications and settlements were built in the region. Thus began an era of prosperity unlike any previously known in the North. New immigrants, dwarves, halflings and a few high-elves among them, bolstered the existing populace, adding their influence to the emerging culture of Blackmoor. Though they arrived on the trail of the Oerid settlers, the immigrants soon established their own communities. At some point, an enclave of Wastrian cultists also appeared, taking up residence in the Cold Marshes, where they observed with disgust the racial cooperation fostered by the leaders of the new settlements, and labored secretly to frustrate it. Nonetheless, the many different peoples of Blackmoor managed to work together over the next century to form a rugged but vital society. This continued until, in the decades immediately preceding the institution of the Overking, a powerful new figure rose to prominence in Blackmoor: Ranial the Gaunt, Lord of Dantredun, Scion of Tenh and enemy of Great Kingdom. He unified the Blackmoor territory in opposition to the Aerdi aggressors from the south and through magic he created the Crown of Blackmoor, and claimed sovereignty over the land and its people. He defied the might of Aerdy for several years, until his eventual defeat at the Battle of Toadwash. As his withered form sank into the marsh, the Great Kingdom’s army advanced on Castle Blackmoor, where they received the submission of the ruling baron. The march of Aerdy conquest had at last reached even this distant land. Blackmoor was first made a province of the Great Kingdom, and at the crowning of the first Overking saw its establishment as an Archbarony in the writ of Imperial Aerdy. Most of the Oeridian barons swiftly pledged loyalty to the Great Kingdom, but a majority of the Tuocts rejected Aerdy rule and withdrew into the Gloomfens and the Cold Marshes. Their lands were divided by the Archbaron, and they were left to rot in the bogs. Wastri gained many new followers in this manner, and his evil took deep root in the hearts of these impoverished natives. For the next two centuries Blackmoor was ruled as an hereditary Archbarony within the Great Kingdom. When the Viceroyalty of Ferrond formed in early years of the second century CY, however, Blackmoor was excluded due to cartographical error. Though the mistake was discovered prior to the investment of the Viceroy, it was concealed to avoid any delay in the elaborate ceremonies already prepared. Blackmoor’s first shift toward independence was thus a matter of bureaucratic incompetence. The second step was taken at the end of the third century CY, after Perrenland, Furyondy and Tenh had seceded from the Great Kingdom. Though no formal declaration was made, the Archbarony ceased to provide its symbolic tribute to the Overking. The matter was scarcely acknowledged in Rauxes. The final element completing separation from the Great Kingdom arrived on horseback in the early fourth century CY, when Nomad bands from central Oerik invaded the Flanaess and established themselves in the steppe-lands south of the Burneal Forest. For the next generation the trade routes to the Northern Reaches of Furyondy were effectively cut off by the unsettled hordes. During this tumultuous period the Crown of Blackmoor was reclaimed by the evil sorcerer Engren Erris, who became known as the Lich of Glendour. The humanoid inhabitants of Blackmoor flourished during his reign, and the human population turned markedly evil. He soon made war against the legitimate sovereign and while his forces besieged Castle Blackmoor, Wastrian cultists emerged from the marshes, driving their Quaggoth slaves to a killing frenzy against the demi-humans of Blackmoor. These bands massacred dwarves, elves and halflings in the villages and hunted them through the countryside. Yet a few brave souls resisted and fought against the multitude of evils that assailed Blackmoor from within. Among these rebels was found a leader who unified the resistance. She was Rua Morgaiste, the last living heir to the Archbaron of Blackmoor. She collected allies from the neighboring territories to aid in her fight; she made truce with the Wolf Nomads, and even added some of their warrior bands to her army; she gathered free companies from throughout the North; and led them all to victory over the wizard-usurper. Morgaiste thus became the first ruling Archbaroness, and led Blackmoor for another six and a half decades. During her long reign the Archbarony became one of the greatest countries in the North, with much influence in the surrounding lands. Toward the end of her regime she even helped the peoples of the Quagheath and the Yatils form the nation of Perrenland. Though she had ruled long and wisely, she left no heir upon her death, and the succession was again open to challenge. According to her wishes, her council was to decide the matter and rule the land in the interim. Many claimants presented themselves to the Baronial Council as candidates for the high office, including one sponsored by the Egg of Coot, but the Council chose Fadden of Dantrefaer. He was confirmed as Archbaron after first being named Lord Conciliator of Blackmoor Castle, for the governing authority was retained by the Baronial Council. The Archbaron was to serve as a figurehead, though in return he received a generous stipend and a voice in the Council. The reigns of four Archbarons passed in this way before the fifth and last Lord Conciliator of Blackmoor Castle, Pernold, lost his life in battle defending Blackmoor Town from the Egg of Coot’s invading army. The Egg’s forces sacked the town and razed the castle, but most of the Baronial Council retreated to the famous magical tavern of Blackmoor, the Comeback Inn, and sealed themselves inside. Though the magical defenses of the Inn could not be breached by the Egg, neither could the Council escape their confinement. It is possible that they still wait for rescue from without. The Archbaron’s wife was more fortunate. She and some few of her staff and servants fled the town before it was captured, and passed through the dangerous fens with the assistance of the uncanny Tuoctish sorcerer, Tintyvo. This company arrived in Dantredun late the following spring, in time for the Archbaroness to give birth to Pernold’s only child, named Bestmo. Though Bestmo’s prospects would at first have seemed slight with the loss of his father’s castle, he was fortunate enough to be adopted as heir by the lord of Dantredun — though the baron of Dantredun passed away soon thereafter The Archbarony Today For the past 20 years, Bestmo has ruled Blackmoor from Dantredun, and without the assistance of the Baronial Council established by Morgaiste. Though the Egg of Coot remains his sworn enemy, the Archbaron has not yet made any definitive effort to recapture the town of Blackmoor. Yet he is ever diligent in his preparations; taxes are high and laws are harsh, so the Bastard of Blackmoor will have the might to defeat his foe when the time is right. The Archbarony of Blackmoor is one of the few lands in the central Flanaess largely unharmed by the Greyhawk Wars. Its peoples have little contact with the outside world, for the outside world sees the Archbarony as having little to offer in return for the dangerous journey required to reach it. A few refugees from the Bandit Kingdoms and from Tenh have brought a slight increase to Blackmoor’s population in recent years. Most of these dwell in Dantredun or Glendour, though some have made their own settlements and holds within the Archbarony. Ironically then, the Wars that decimated so much of Greyhawk’s world have provided a minor boon for Blackmoor, which had not seen castle building for centuries before the turmoil of recent years. Government Little is known for certain of the government of the archbaron; his court has no relations with those of the sovereigns of other lands. The militias of the small underbaronies are typically leather-armored villagers, wielding shortspears, longbows, or slings. The archbaron's personal guard includes perhaps three score "knights" (heavy cavalry of offensive mien), and heavy and medium infantry made up of several hundred human and half-orc soldiers. All are located in the town of Dantredun, now the capital of Blackmoor. Many more nonhuman soldiers can be called up from the surrounding area. Settlements * Blackmoor * Broomsage Abbey * Dantredun * Mosshold * Tonnsborg Notable Locations * Clockwork Fortress * Dearthkettle Keep * Egg of Coot * Ramshorn Castle * Stornawane * Trollbar * Vale of the Bite References Category:Nations